http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitad_del_Mundo
The town is located 22 kilometers south from Quito. I took a bus which cost a shocking 19 English pence which is a result of the government paying 80% for the public transport. The rest is covered by the citizens. Great, isn't it?....
I went to two very interesting museums: the Solar Museum and museum about the indigenous etnography of Ecuador.
In the first one (which I loved) you can do experiments proving that the gravitation is different on two sides of the Earth and on the equator line. For example experiments with water, showing how it drains in different directions on each side of the equator and straight down on top of the equator's line. On the north hemisphere it drains anticlockwise and on the south hemisphere it drains clockwise.
We did more experiments, for example with eggs - balancing a row egg on the head of a nail. You will manage to do it only on the equator line. We also walked on the line with closed eyes, spread arms and thumbs up - you can feel the gravitation forces pulling you on the left and on the right, exactly how it happens with the sea currents. They activate in the equator zone, go round the hemisphere and come back to the equator where they get neutralised (there is why Ecuador doesn't experience tsunami).
You also weight one kilogram less near the equator.
We visited houses of the indigenous people. They keep many guinea pigs at home because the animals easily sense danger (and they are edible too...). They warn people about earthquakes and other natural disasters. The guinea pigs were lovely :)
My negative observation about Quito: the first time in my trip I strongly feel that everyone is trying to rip me off - the taxi drivers, bus conductors, shop assistants. The foreigners pay more for everything. In the countries I visited before it happened sometimes, here it happens all the time and I hate it (I try to argue whenever I can but sometimes I just can't win).
I am leaving Quito today. I haven't done any dancing here, I think the reason is Cali salsa overdose ha ha ha... Apparently good salsa clubs in the city are: Seseribo, Mayo 68, Aguijon (Wednesdays only).
